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Sunset/Chapter 3
Chapter description :Leafpool wakes up, body heavy with fatigue, and she sees that Firestar has his nose buried into Cinderpelt's shoulder, grieving silently. Leafpool realizes that it is dawn, since the sky was starting to grow pale and milky. :Leafpool tries to drink in some of her mentor's scent, but her body is cold and tasteless. She reminds herself that she had come to Cinderpelt's vigil after she treated the wounded cat's injuries, but she had fallen asleep due to fatigue. She guiltily thinks that she couldn't even stay awake for her mentor. Then Leafpool painfully remembers the terrible dream she had when she was a loner with Crowfeather, the scream of pain in the midst of the badger attack. Leafpool then thinks guiltily of how ignoble it had been to run away with Crowfeather, and that she should've stayed in ThunderClan. :The ThunderClan she-cat feels like she is still haunted by Crowfeather, and thinks about how much Crowfeather had loved her, how much he wanted to stay with her. She recalls how she had given up Crowfeather to be ThunderClan's medicine cat, and laments over her loss for a few moments. :Leafpool finally sits up and stretches, seeing Stormfur guarding the camp with Brook, with the other cats starting to rouse. Leafpool briefly realizes that the elders will bury Cinderpelt's soon, she buries her nose into Cinderpelt's fur, trying to sense her spirit, she cries out silently for Cinderpelt to to hear her, but there is no reply. She tries to cry out that she is sorry, but fails to get any response. :Leafpool suddenly hears Longtail's voice and lifts her head, seeing the three elders approaching Cinderpelt and Sootfur's body. Thornclaw, who had been Sootfur's mentor, grieves over his apprentice's body for a few heartbeats, Leafpool reassures him that he taught Sootfur's well, and that he died bravely. Rainwhisker, Sootfur's brother, joins them. Rainwhisker asks if he could help them, and Mousefur agrees. The elders take away the bodies to bury them. :After they disappear out of the camp, Firestar starts organizing the patrols of the day. Leafpool sees Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight sitting together, and Leafpool is a little surprised, thinking that they weren't close anymore. Leafpool sees Ashfur watching them, and is shaken by the fury in his eyes. Suddenly Leafpool fears for her sister, worrying about the time when she had seen Brambleclaw in the Dark Forest with his half-brother and his father. Leafpool wonders if she should tell her sister about her sinister dream, but decides not to. She walks up to Ashfur and tells him that his wounds need to be treated. Ashfur, still angry over Squirrelflight, nods. :Leafpool tells him his wounds are healing well, and Ashfur bounds off to join Dustpelt and Spiderleg, who are rebuilding the camp wall. Brightheart walks up to Leafpool and offers to help her pick herbs. Leafpool agrees, feeling guilty that she had ever thought Brightheart was an annoying "replacement" once. :As they leave, Leafpool returns to the den, when Birchpaw sees her, he tries to stand up, but falls back on his paws. Leafpool warns him to stay still, and checks on his eyes. She shudders, realizing how close the apprentice had come to his death. Leafpool renews the poultice and tells him to get some sleep. When he does that, she goes off to find Sorreltail with her kits, to give them borage. :Leafpool spots Stormfur and Brook returning with big bundles of fresh-kill in their jaws and realizes how hungry she is, remembering that the last time she had eaten was when she was a loner. Brook offers her some fresh-kill, and Leafpool gratefully eats it. As she eats, Spiderleg and Ashfur bound up to her, with Spiderleg meowing that it was good to have her back. Completely embarrassed, she nods, and leaves. :Berrykit, Hazelkit, and Mousekit interrupt her, who barrage her with questions. Daisy scolds them, telling them that Leafpool is busy. Leafpool, whose mouth is full of borage, is unable to reply. She nods at them and steps into the nursery. Sorreltail is lain inside, with Brackenfur beaming at his four kits. As she watches, she notes that they might get more and more distant, as Sorreltail was a mother, and she was ThunderClan's medicine cat. As she leaves, she briefly mutters to StarClan that she had sacrificed everything for them, and wonders if they got what they wanted. :For the rest of the day, Leafpool keeps working. And at the end of the day the Warriors leave for their dens, terribly exhausted. She laments over Crowfeather in her nest for a few minutes, then falls asleep. She is shocked to find herself under a starry sky. The stars soon melt into paw prints, and she sees her sister, padding side by side with Brambleclaw, heads close. Leafpool realizes that this must be a message from StarClan that her sister and the dark warrior are meant to be together. She closes her eyes in comfort, and when she opens them, she sees Spottedleaf. Suddenly furious, she confronts her, believing she lied that Leafpool could leave her Clan. Spottedleaf assures her, and Leafpool barrages Spottedleaf with questions. Spottedleaf, however isn't keen on answering, and when Leafpool asks about Cinderpelt, Spottedleaf says that she is with her, closer than Leafpool thinks. Reassured, Leafpool wakes up. :As Leafpool feels a little bit lonely, she silently laments over Cinderpelt's death, and wonders why she hasn't come to visit her, like Spottedleaf did. Characters Major }} Minor *Cinderpelt }} Mentioned Notes and references Category:The New Prophecy arc Category:Chapter subpages Category:Sunset